Veteran Mike York practiced with the team for the first time on Monday morning. He was given a little extra time to arrive because he had to take care of some personal matters at his home in East Lansing, Mich. That's where his wife, Aimee, is staying for now, and she's pregnant with the couple's first child.

York, 30, has played in just three AHL games in his career - all with Hartford in 1998-99. Monday, he was just trying to get acclimated to his teammates and surroundings. York said he knows some of them by name, but doesn't really know anyone behind that.

In a brief conversation, York seemed very businesslike and professional, which is exactly what you'd expect of someone who has played in 578 career NHL games.

"It's disappointing when you get sent down, but it's not the end of the world,'' York said. "It takes some time (to adjust). I've had a lot of success at that (NHL) level. I'm back down here fighting to get up there.''

York said he's a natural center but also can play wing.

"I'm definitely like clay or putty,'' he said. "I'm slapped in where they need me.''

- The heart of a champion has been knocked out. Responding to complaints by players and fans alike, the Crunch is dumping Nelly's song by the same title as its possible theme song. The team is currently looking for a new theme. If you have any suggestions, send them to me and I can pass them along.

- After practice on Monday, a bunch of young Crunch players all but got in line to pick up some basic fighting tips from Crunch enforcer Jon Mirasty. Trevor Hendrikx, Maksim Mayorov and Kirill Starkov all worked on jersey grips and punching angles with the master.

- According to the Columbus Dispatch blog, 2008 first-rounder Nikita Filatov is a lock to start the season in Syracuse. There had been some thinking that the youngster might begin the season with Sudbury of the OHL.

But Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Portzline explained that the Canadian Hockey League wants to stay on the right side of the IIHF. The IIHF requires a permission card signed by Russia allowing one of its players to join a CHL team. For some reason Russia hasn't done that in Filatov's case, and the CHL is leery about violating this agreement. The AHL is not bound by this type of deal.